China on Friday coerced Ukraine to withdraw its support for a call for increased scrutiny of human rights in China’s western region of Xinjiang by “threatening to freeze the export of Chinese-made COVID-19 vaccines to Ukraine unless it complied with the demand.”
The Associated Press (AP) reported that Ukrainian diplomats joined the lobby of around 40 nations under Canada’s leadership at the Human Rights Council in Geneva on Tuesday, asking China to allow immediate access for independent observers to Xinjiang. The demand comes after human rights groups and some countries alleged Chinese state-sponsored mistreatment of Muslim Uyghurs and others in the region.
Ukraine struck its name off the list of supporting states after Chinese authorities warned Kyiv that they would block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines to the country unless it pulled back, diplomats from two Western countries told AP on condition of anonymity. They labelled the approach as “bare-knuckles” diplomacy by China.
A diplomat said there were “reports of significant pressure in Kyiv,” adding that “last night the delegation told us they needed to pull out.”
Ukraine’s Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed its withdrawal in a statement, saying: “Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Ukraine strategic partnership that Ukraine values this partnership with China, and the unshakable foundation of which is non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.”
Canadian Ambassador Leslie Norton, whose country sponsored the resolution, reiterated that “credible reports indicate that over a million people have been arbitrarily detained in Xinjiang.” Norton stressed that there were “reports of torture or cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment, forced sterilization, sexual and gender-based violence, and forced separation of children from their parents by authorities in China.”
With Canada leading the effort to hold China accountable for the human rights abuse in the region, a Chinese diplomat retaliated by pointing out shortcomings in Canada’s rights record by mentioning Canadian abuses against Indigenous people. Moreover, in a show of support to China, Belarus read a joint statement with 64 signatory countries that defended China’s right to manage its internal affairs, such as Hong Kong and Xinjiang.
In a statement on Saturday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said: “China welcomes the withdrawal of Ukraine from its endorsement of an anti-China joint statement made at the 47th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which reflects its spirit of independence, and respect for facts and conforms to the purposes of the UN Charter and basic norms governing international relations.”
The Ministry added that “the attempt of a few Western countries to smear China on issues related to Xinjiang, Hong Kong, and Tibet failed again. It fully demonstrates that justice will always prevail and people have their fair judgment.”
Ukraine Succumbs to Chinese Pressure at UN
Ukraine struck its name off the list of supporting states after the Chinese authorities threatened to block a planned shipment of at least 500,000 COVID-19 vaccines to the country.
June 29, 2021
SOURCE: CHINA DAILY